Spectacles



Usa-ED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. WILLSON, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECTACLES.

.PEcIFIcATIoN forming part of Lettersratnt No. 536,248, dated March 2e,1895.

Application filed September 14, 189,4. Serial No. 523,051. (No model.)

To @ZZ/whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. WlLL'soN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Reading, county of Berks, State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain Improvements in Spectacles, of which. the following isa specification.

My invention relates mainly to the Jframes of spectacles, but alsoincludes improvements in the temple and its connection to the frame.

In the class of frames to which my invention particularly relates, theupper and lower portions of each eye are continued across the spacebetween them, and are brought together in parallel lines to form thenose-piece. The main object of my invention is to complete thenose-piece thus partially formed in a manneryvhich will avoid theStringing of any clamping band or tube upon the doubled Wire as has beenheretofore done; this former method of construction not being adapted tomy present improved frame the whole of which is formed from singlelengthof wire, and my present constr/uction being otherwise advantageous. Themethod and means which I employ'in ca rying out this portion of myinvention, as w ll as the other features thereof are fully described inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lillustrates the first step in the formation of my improved frame,showing in two views the single length of wire from which it is formed,bent and doubled upon itself. Fig. 2 shows the binding strip which formsthe sheath for the nose-piece. Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectionalviews on the lines a: :c and y y respectively of Fig. l. Fig. 5 showsthe. binding strip partially clamped upon. the doubled wire. Fig. 6shows the frame front formed to shape, and Fig. 7 shows the templejointpiece secured to the temple-end of the frame. Fig. 8 is an enlargedsectional viewv on the line ze. Figs. 9, 10, and ll illustrate myimproved temple end.

A represents a piece of channelwire such as is ordinarily used forspectacle frames. The length of this wire is sufticient to form botheyes A', together with the doubled proj ections a d and doublednose-piece or bridge, as shown in Fig. 6. The winrjslrst bent at pointsa a so as to cause aV a to abut under the middle of the wire, the saidbends being rounded preferably as indicated so as to keep the doubledwire somewhat apart near the bends. The grooved faces a2` of the doubledwire are thus brought opposite each other as indicated in Fig. 3, andform a convenient means of engaging the beveled edges of the lens whenthe eyes A A are formed. In forming the nose-piece however it is imprac`ticable to maintain these wires in the same [relative position indicatedin Fig. 3 without employing 'some means, such as a core-piece or aclosely encircling band, to positively prevent them from assumingsomething approximating the position indicated therein in dot- -tedlines. To avoid this and at the same time enable my improvedconstruction to be practically carried out with ease, I change thesectional shape of so much of the abutting ends a a. as will formvpartof the nose-piece, preferably by reversing the groove as indicated inFig. 4, so as to cause the said ends a to naturally seat themselvescentrally in the groove a2 of the upper wire, thus overcoming all dangerof displacement and at the same `time reducing the thickness of thedoubled wires so as to produce a somewhat tlattened andless bulkynose-piece.

The binding strip B is stamped preferably out of sdeet metal, vitslength being equal to the full extent of the nose-piece with recesses band b b at either end to engage the bends of the eye wires, and itswidth sufficient to envelope the doubled wire in clamping the same. Thispunched strip is first formedinto a U-shaped cross-section as shown inFig. 4, f

and the edges are afterward turned inward in the operation of clampingso as to practically meet at the center-line of the nosepiece- Therequired shape is then given to the different points of the frame. Thenose-piece is readily bent to the desired curves owing to the reducedthickness of the doubled wires effected by the changed cross-section ofthe abutting ends a a. The bent ends a a are made to form projectingloops on the eyes A for the attachment of the separately formedtemple-joint piece. This piece as represented in; Fig. 7 and marked withreference letter C, is the same as is shown and` described in LettersPatent Nos. 452,008 and 452,009, issued to me May 12,;A

IOO

which are closed over the doubled wire of the loop between the eye andthe bend a, thus firmly securing it to the frame.

Figs. 9, l0 and 1l illustrate the pivot end of my improved temple, asadapted to the temple-joint piece illustrated in Fig. 7. rlhetempleshaft or bar D is of wire cut to proper length and suitably shaped atits outer end which is not shown. The pivot end is formed bya separatepiece E. The blank from which this is made is shown in Figli, the lowerears e e' of which are bent up parallel with each other and sufficientlyspread to fit snugly-between the pivot-ears c c of the temple-jointpiece C, while the upper ears e e are adapted to be clamped firmly tothe end of the shaft D as shown in Figs. 9 and l0.

By my improved construction Iain enabled to produce the whole frame froma single piece of wire, without soldering, in a neat, substantial andinexpensive form. The bends of the wire, and the cross-section of thedoubled wire at other points than the nose-piece, do not interfere withor effect the completion of the latter. The temple-joint piece is easilyand firmly attached as in the construction described in my prior patentsreferred to.

Having thus fully described my invention as I have preferably appliedit, I do not desire to limit myself to the exact construction shown anddescribed, but

l. A spectacle frame made of channel wire bent up with the grooved faceinward to form the eyes and doubled between the eyes to form thenose-piece, the lower Wire of said nosepiece having an integral portionformed to centrally engage the groove of the upper wire, and said upperand lower wires being held in contact, substantially as described.

2. A spectacle frame made of a single piece of channel wire doubled upand having the ends thereof abutted at the nose-piece, said ends beingclamped to the central portion of the wire by a longitudinal strip withits side edges folded around the same and extending between the eyes,substantially as described.

3. A spectacle frame made of a single piece of channel wire doubled upand having the ends thereof abutted at the central portion of the wire,the thickness of the doubled Wire at the nose-piece being reduced toless than the width of the channel wire and the doubled wire beingclamped between the eyes by a metal strip bent around the same,substantially as described.

4. A spectacle frame having the nose piece thereof formed of doubledWire, in combination with a binding strip corresponding in length withthe distance between the eyes and in Width with the circumference of thedoubled wireand having itsendsrecessed substantially as shown, saidstrip being folded around the doubled wires.

5. A spectacle frame made of a single piece of wire doubled and bent toform the two eyes with the connecting nose piece, and provided withprojecting loops forming temple ends as described,in combination with aseparate temple joint piece having clamping ears ehgaging saidprojecting end between the eye and the bend, substantially as described.

6. A temple consisting of a shaft portion and a separately formed pivotpiece having clamping ears engagingthe end of the shaft, and pivot earsextending beyond the shaftin combination with a spectacle frame having atemple joint piece with correspondingly formed clamping and pivot ears,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS A. WILLSON.

lVitnesses:

W. G. STEWART, ADAM L. OTTERBEIN.

